Pimlach

Not gonna name names. Comments about his age, he wont last, he is not a top 4 ...

Two of our best, toughest, grittiest forwards are Cozens and Tuch. They better be a factor.

Philly is an annoying team. They can play the slow down game. Recall last year they beat us early in the season, we could have used the points. Tonight we go after them. UPL playing so we score 6. Sabres 6 Filthy 3

Some people here seem to know more than Don Granato on how to develop hockey players. Granato chronology => 4 years HC USHL, 3 years HC ECHL, 7 years HC AHL, 3 years HC of US Hockey National Team (17U, 18U, 17U), 1 year HC Big-10, 4 1/2 years Asst HC NHL, 1/2 year interim HC NHL, 2 years HC NHL. You may not like his system, or his game day coaching, but how many people might there be that know more about developing Benson, Savoie and the gang?

and Tage, and Dahlin, ... Heck, people moaned about signing Erik Johnson for one year at $3.25M. This guy is a professional hockey player if there ever was one. He is exactly what we needed. I will bet that Mule, Power, Dahlin, Joker and Clifton are very happy to listening to anything this guy has to say about playing defense in the NHL.

He is 25, an undrafted player that played four years of NCAA hockey. This really is Biro's shot. If not with the Sabres, then maybe another team that might be watching. I understand we have a lot of fancy first rounders and Biro could be a career AHL player but this kid deserves a look, he might be a 4th line lower cost guy that we will need soon. He earned it in camp.

Buffalo needs goals and they also need guys to help prevent goals. If they feel Kulich or Rosen is ready then fine, I defer to Adams and DG. I think they are going by what they saw in preseason and by Rochester play, and since Biro came back from injury he has 6 points in 5 games so he is not far behind the other two.

Come on Adams, just ignore camp and preseason and do what Buffalonil wants.

He will be up sooner or later. Biro outplayed him in preseason.

Correct. IMO Biro was the next best prospect, after Benson, in the preseason games. He earned the next look I would have to say.

It was his fault. I dont think he heard or felt Kyle coming, he was skating back in a routine manor and may have lost his edge once he felt the pressure of Kyle on him. He could have been blasted, he is lucky Kyle is a good guy. There was a ref right there, and he saw nothing to call. The Avs were upset but there was nothing in the way of a penalty. McKinnon managed to get 14 minutes.

The answer is you don’t bring up 4 rookie forwards and give them the 4th line or distribute them on all the lines. They are not entitled to play in the NHL. When one of them beats out a player higher on the depth chart then that one move up.

Girgs was in a fight already this season, almost two. Okposo had half the Avs after him for the “push” to Mekar who basically lost an edge due to his own carelessness.

It’s pronounced like this kids name, no U sound

Right on

https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/jays-named-the-no-8-best-pizzeria-in-the-u-s/

Jays Artisan Pizzeria on Delaware Rd in the Village of Kenmore. Great area and great, but different, pizza in Buffalo. This is not typical cup and char Buffalo pepperoni pizza. This restaurant has received national acclaim for their pizza. They make two styles and each style can be ordered multiple ways. The first style is a great Neapolitan style. The second is a Detroit square pizza style that is amazing. They make the dough for the Detroit style before they open. When the run out it’s done for that day. If you want a “square” you get there early, they always run out. There are several nice shops and bars in the area near Jays.

Interesting but good dilemma. On one hand what if they were not patient with Tage and Casey? Maybe 23 to 24 is the age you see a young forward really break out? Jost is already 25 and had stints with Colorado and Minnesota. He is what he is - he is most likely always gonna be 4th line/ spare forward guy with some skill and some defensive checking ability. He is a guy that is good in the room too, but I don't see him lasting too much longer. I do like the guy though, he will work hard for you. Krebs is still 22 (until Jan) and might have more upside than Jost. This is the year he has to show more because Benson is making this team, if not this season then next. Savoie might be on that same level as Benson - we shall see how he looks soon. Kulich and Rosen are going to get a look too. That is 4 Adams picked first rounders that will get a fair look no doubt. I actually think that the AHL time that Kulich and Rosen are getting is going to benefit them a lot. Krebs, even as a 4C, is going to have to generate some offense to fight these guys off. Krebs could be the later bloomer that gets away, but we have so many forwards it is inevitable that some of them are going to be NHL players somewhere else. I just don't want to see a mentality with Adams and DG were we are trying guys out all season and still in a developmental mode. Its time to win, play whoever best helps us do that.

Very sad news on Johnson. He is only 29.

3H?

Opie or UPL. The players call him Opie. The coached called him UPL after the Avs game. 6K is kind of forced and corny, it might not stick. He did not look great in Rochester in '21-22 when he played 35 games there and he was not looking great down there in 22-23 when he played 9 games before the call up. Last year he was 17-11-4 for Buffalo with a 3.58 GAA and a less than stellar 0.892 SV%. Two weird things about him are: statistically he plays better for Buffalo than he does for Rochester; and the Sabres seem to score goals for him. I hope that Hank is correct and that UPL becomes a great NHL. With better team defense, and if he can play consistent at the Av game level, lets get that GAA down to 2.5 or less and the SV up to 0.92 or better. Then we are cooking. Comparing Levi and UPL, it looks to me like Levi is the better skilled, more schooled, and more disciplined. UPL is big, much slower in lateral movement, does not have a glove like Levi, gives up big bouncy rebounds too often, and he gets beat regularly on breakaway and shoot outs. Versus the Avs, UPL (Opie, 6K) had a great game. Lets hope that he can find the consistency needed to succeed.

True. We have not seen Savoie since camp so no way should he get a roster spot in the NHL. A conditioning stint in Roch is perfect for him. Then he can get 9 games in Buffalo without effecting the ELC. If he makes the case to stay he stays, otherwise he goes back to juniors. Benson is working on his 9 game tryout right now. He is in the same boat - earn the spot. I would say he looks good at times but I would not say that he contributed more than Jost did against the Avs. Benson played about 4 more minutes but Jost potted a goal. Benson certainly has a much higher ceiling than Jost but we are trying to win right now. Sending the 18 year old and 170 pound Benson back to juniors is not going to hurt him. We also have a few nice prospects that are lighting it up in the AHL. They will probably get a look as the season progresses.

No way Murray wants to live the life of an NHL scout, but that is what he basically is if you take away the nepotism. JBot knows a lot more and is way more legit I would say. He is one of 7 execs reporting to Ron Francis in Seattle, he is one of the two Asst GMs. He is not overloaded or over his head and is probably doing a fine job for them. He was pushed into the big boy chair too soon, but he is a legit hockey exec. I actually commend Bots for sticking to his principles, even when it cost him his job.

If Levi can go start him and give UPL the home game. If not, we have Opie until Levi is ready.